Collapsible frame or support.



Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

. g V E ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT error.

LOUIS K. sons, OF NEW Y'OIRLKQN. v.

i oo LArsIBLE FRAME on surron'r.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

Original application filed February 23, 1906, Serial No. 302,347.Divided andthis application filed March 1, 1907.

I Serial No. 360,023.

To all whom t'tma/ concern:

Be it known that I, Louis K. Some, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York, in the county andState of New York, (post-ofliceaddress,50 West Seventy-seventh street, New York city,) have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Frames or Supports,of which the,

following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing.

This application is; a division of my application No. 302,347, filedFebruary 23, 1906, for traveling cooking utensil. I

This invention relates to collapsible frames or supports suitable forany purpose;

In the accompanying drawingshowingan illustrative embodiment ofthisinvention, in which the same reference numeral refers to similarparts in the several figures, Figure 1 is a side elevation of mycollapsible frame or support in substantially its extended or operativeposition. Fig. 2 is aplan'view of the support collapsed outward initslinoperative position though it can be collapsed in- Ward, to occupyless space. Fig.3 is a vertical section taken through the supportshowing additional locking devices to prevent the frame or support beingcollapsed. Fig. 4is a plan view of a modified form of locking member.Fig. 5? is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig.- 5 is aview similar to Fig. 5, showing a slightly modified form of hook. Fig. 6is a side elevation of a portion of the frame or support showing amodified form of locking member and a slightly modified form: ofsubstantially U- shaped members. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a portionof the collapsible frame or support showing a modified form of a stopand clamping member formed 111 one piece. Fig.

'8 is a detail view of the stop and clamping forming hooks 6, 6' bywhich they are pivotally secured to the rings 2 and 3, respectively.While I preferably use substantiall y U- in Figs. 1,- 2 and 3. Toprevent the sheet metal as well as wire. narily my collapsible standwill rigidly hold :any article upon the ring 3 which it is desired tosupport, I preferably use some lockshaped members, such as shown in Fig.1,1, of course, do not wish tobe limited to this particular form ofmember as any two connecting members secured respectively to the rings 2and 3 and to each other so as to permit the stand to collapse eitherinward or outward and be extended into its operative position would comewithin the terms of my invention. Such members may be bent or formed asshown in Fig. 1, or as shown in Fig. 6, or any other suitable way.' Theupwardly extending substantially U- shaped members mounted upon ring 2and the complementary downwardly extending substantially U shaped membermounted upon the ring 3 have their abutting surfaces fastened togetherby some suitable clamping means, such as the wrapped wire 26 shownabutting surfaces of the substantially U-shaped members from movinglaterally upon each other to any appreciable extent I may form one orboth of the substantially U-shaped members with an offset, such as 7, 7.These offset p'ortionsare so arranged that they snugly receivetheclamping means 26 and therefore I prevent one substantially U-shapedmember from being moved laterally upon its complementary substantiallyU-shaped member which adds materially to the rigidity and stability ofthe stand when in its operative position. Instead of forming the offsets7,

7 as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7,. I may form them by cutting awayor reducing a portion of the substantially U-shaped members as shown at29, 29 in Fig. 9.

I preferably make the rings 2 and 3 as well as the substantiallyU-shaped members U-shaped member so that they will cross or 'bisect thelegs5, 5 of the adjacent substantially U-shaped members as shown inFigs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and '7. It is, of course, understood,

however, that the parts may be made from While ordiing means to preventthe substantially U- shaped members from being inadvertently collapsedinward and consequently per- 14 of strong wire, precious or otherwise,and v ,arrange the legs 5, 5 of one substantially shown in Fig. 1, Iplace protuberances or lugs 8 on the inside of one of the legs 5 of thesubstantially U-shaped members, shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. Theadjacent leg 50f one of the'substantially U-shaped members 4: is causedto be locked by these lugs when the ring 3 has been drawn away from ring2 as far as possible and then retracted slightly by pressing theabutting surfaces and cooperating clamping means inward toward thecenter of the stand, permitting the leg 5 of one U-shaped member to comeinto contact with the lug 8 carried by the adjacent U-shaped member; theparts will be locked in this position regardless of the weight of thearticle placed upon the ring 3 provided, of course, it is not sufiicientto bend or break the parts of the stand.

Instead of using lugs for stops I may form a depression 20 in one of theU-shaped members, such as shown in Fig. 3 within which the complementarylegs of the adjacent U- shaped member are adapted to snap or be seated.In place of lugs or recesses 20, or in addition to them, I may use aring 9, Fig. 3, of less diameter than the rings 2 and 3 and supportedfrom the ring 3 by means of the chain 10. In this form of lockingdevice, after the rings 2 and 3 have been extended to their maximumposition, it is merely necessary to press the abutting surfaces andcooperating clamping means inward slightly until they are brought tobear upon the circumference of the suspended ring 9, the chain 10 beingof just sufficient length to hold the ring 9 in the position where itwill contact with the clamping means cooperating with the abuttingsurfaces. To still further prevent the collapsing of the stand, due toan accidental blow upon the substantially U-shaped members or otherwise,I may form a hook 11 upon the ring 9 so as to fit over the clampingmeans cooperating with the abutting surfaces. The end 12 of the hook 11bearing upon the opposite side of the clamping means cooperating withthe abutting surfaces from that of the ring 9 the substantially U shapedmembers will be locked from, movement in both directions in an obviousmanner. To secure the ring 9 in position and to prevent any inadvertentdisplacement of it I may extend the hook 12 and bend it slightly inwardto form the spring catch 27 (Fig. 5) which will be sprung over theclamping means or connectors 26. Slight upward pressure on the ring 9will be sufiicient to release these clamping means from engagement withthe spring catch 27, but if desired the operator may release the ring bypressing outward upon the catch 27. I may also prevent the undesirablemovement of the members 4, t in both directions by placing two lugs 8, 8either on the same leg 5 of one of the members 4:, as shown in the upperportion of Fig. 3, or I may place them one on one leg 5 and one on thebisecting leg 5 of the adjacent member as shown in the lower portion of.Fig. 3. By this arrangement of double lugs 1 prevent the accidentalcollapsing of the stand inward as well as outward. To place the stand inits inoperative or collapsed condition, such as shown in Fig. 2, it ismerely necessary to bend or spring one of the legs 5, with its lug orlugs 8, past the bisecting and cooperating leg 5 of the adjacentsubstantially U-shaped member. As many of these locking lugs as isdesirable may be used on one stand either alone or in conjunction withthe depressions 20 and ring 9, Fig. 3, the locking members 17, Figs. 7and 8, or 15 and 16, Fig. 6, or the ring 13, Fig. 4-.

In place of a suspended ring, such as shown in Fig. 3, I may use adetachable ring 13, Fig. 1, stamped from sheet metal and having lugs 14,14 to rest upon the upper portion of the clamping surfaces 26 within theolfsets 7, 7 of the substantially U-shaped members attached to the ringUpon this ring 13 I may also, in place of one or more of the lugs 14,14, use hooks 11 with ends 12, or spring catches 27 substantially thesame as shown in Figs. 5 and 5. I may also form my locking members orstops as shown in Fig. 6 where the wire 26 has its ends 15 and 16bearing respectively upon the offsets 7, 7 of two complementary U-shapedmembers carried by the rings 2 and 3 respectively. Or I may formv mystops or locking members from sheet metal 17, shown in detail in Fig. 8and in position in Fig. 7, where the central portion 18 clamps themeeting surfaces of the substantially U shaped members together,performing the same function as the wrapped wire 26 in Fig. 1. It willbe obvious that in this construction the shoulders 19, 19 bearing uponthe olisets 7, 7 of two complementary substantially U-shaped members thecollapsing of the stand will be prevented, the shoulders performing thesame function as the lugs shown in Fig. 1, the ends recesses and ringsshown in F 41:, the ends of the wire shown in Fig. (i, or the ring shownin Fig. l. To give the shoulders ,19, 19 a firm seat upon thesubstantially U-shapcd members I may, if desirable, notch the members asshown at 28, Figs. 7, S. I may also, if desirable, have the ends 15 and1(3 of the wire 26 seat in similar notches 28, 28, Fig. (5.

Having thus described this invention in connection with severalillustrative embodiments thereof, to the details of which I do notdesire to be limited, what is claimed as new and what it is desired tosecure by Letters Iatent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. In a collapsible frame or support, two rings, members pivotallymounted upon the respective rings, means to clamp the meeting surfacesof two complementary members together, and means torpreventthe supportof two complementary membersv together,

and means to prevent the support from being collapsed; V a I 3. In acollapsible frame or support, tw

rings, members each having two legspivot-- ally mounted upon-theringsand provided with offsets, means to clamp themeeting-surfaces oftwo complementary members together, said means being located intheoffsets.

4. In a collapsible frame or support, two rings, members each havingtwolegspivotally mounted upon therings, and provided with offsets, meansto clamp the meeting surfaces of two complementary members together,said means being located in the offsets, and means to prevent thesupport collapsing when in its operative position.

5. In a collapsible frame or support, two

rings, members, each having two legs pivotally mounted upon the rings,the legs of two adjacent members bisecting each other, means forclamping the meeting surfaces of two complementary members together, andone or more lugs formed upon one or more of the legs of the membersadaptedtocoact with legs of an adjacentmemberto lock the support in itsextended or operative position.

6. In a collapsible frame or support,'two

rings, substantially U-shaped members each having two legs pivotallymountedupon the respective rings, means to clamp the meeting surfaces oftwo complementary members together, and means to prevent said supportfrom being collapsed. I

7. In a collapsible frame orsupport,'two rings, substantially U-shapedmembers pivotally mounted upon said rings, clamping means to connectsaid U-shaped members, some of said U-shaped members having oppositeportions in which said clamping means are located to maintainalinement.

8. In a collapsible frame or support, two rings, substantially U-shapedmembers pivoted upon the respective rings, two complementary U-shapedmembers having offsets,

means to clamp the two complementary U- shaped members together, saidmeans being located in the offsets and means to prevent the support frombeing collapsed.

9. In a collapsible support consisting of two rings, substantiallyU-shaped members, the legs ofeach substantially U-shaped'memberconnected to one ring bisecting the legs of the next substantiallyU-shaped member on the same ring, means for connecting the meetingsurfaces of each U-shaped. member.

to another complementary substantially llshaped. member, and one or morestops upon the U-shaped members.

10. In a collapsible'frame or. support consisting of two rings,substantially U-shaped members mounted uponthe respective rings, thelegs of one substantially U-shaped member bisecting the legsof'thesucceeding. substantially U-shaped member upon the same ring, means foryieldingly connecting the meeting surfaces of the substantially U-shaped members and means to lock the collapsible frame or support in itselevated position.

"11. In a collapsible frame or support, two rings, members each having aplurality of legs vpivotally mounted upon the respective rings, means toclamp the meeting surfaces of two complementary members together, andmeans to prevent the support from being inadvertently collapsed ineither direction.

12. In a'collapsible frame or support, two rings, members each having aplurality of legs, meanscto clamp the meeting surfaces of twocomplementary members together, and lugs and cooperating locking meansarranged upon the legs of the members to prevent accidental collapsingof the support either inward-or outward.

13. Ina collapsible frame or support, two rings, members each having aplurality of legs, means to clamp the meeting surfaces of twocomplementary members together, lugs arranged upon the legs of themembers to prevent accidental collapsing of the support either inward oroutward and a ring to limit theinward movement of the meeting surfacesof the two complementary members.

I 14. In a collapsible frame or support, two rings, members each havinga plurality of legs, means to clamp the meeting surfaces oftwocomplementary members together, lugs arranged upon the legs of themembers to prevent accidental collapsing of the support either inward oroutward and a ring having a hook, the ring limiting the inward movementof the meeting surfaces of the two complementary members and the hookpreventing the outward ;movement of the meeting surfaces of the twocomplementary members. V 15. Ina collapsible frame or support, tworings, members each having a plurality of legs, means to clamp thevmeeting surfaces of two complementary members together, lugs arrangedupon the legs of the members to prevent accidental collapsing of thesupport either inward or outward and a ring having a hook and a springcatch, the ring limiting the inward movement of the meeting surfaces oftwo complementary members and the springcatch preventing accidentaloutward movement of the meeting surfaces of the two complementarymembers and holding the ring in its operative position.

16. In a collapsible frame or support, tWo rings, members each having aplurality of legs pivotally mounted upon the respective rings, means toclamp the meeting surfaces of tWo complementary members together, andlugs and depressions formed upon the legs of the same to cooperate withthe leg of an adjacent biseciing member to prevent 10 the support frombeing collapsed.

LOUIS K. SONE. l/Vitnesses ALAN M. J onNsoN,

Jnssin B. KAY,

Josnrn J. COLLINS.

